Self-playing attachment for musical instruments.



No. 700,677.' Pacen'cadv May 20, i902. J. GUURVILLE.

SELF PLAYING ATTACHMENT FUR-MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

(Applicntion lnd Hay 31, 1901.)

Tm: mams PETERS co, PHoToMmo, wAsnmmmg, u. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH COURVILLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO FARRAND ORGANCOMPANY, OF DETROIT', MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

SELF-PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 700,677, 'dated May2.0, 1902.

Application liled May 31,1901. Serial No. 62,618. (No model.)

To @0U whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH CoUEvILLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Playin gAttachments for Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to self-playing attachments for musicalinstruments, and more particularly to an autopneumatic-action foroperating the keys of a musical instrument, such as a piano. Y

It is the object of the invention to obtain a mechanism which is adaptedto be adjusted to keyboards varyin g, in height and, further, to obtaina simple construction of pneumaticaction for operating the key-actuatingdevices.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction ashereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical crosssecton through theinstrument. Eig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustratingthe fulcrum-bar for the key-actuating levers and means for verticallyadjusting the same.

A is a base for supporting the Voperating mechanism, and B is a caseextending upward -from said base and inclosing said mechanism.

Mounted upon the base A and hinged near the forward edge thereof aresuitable footboards or pedals C, which, as shown, are arranged within arecess D, formed in the front wall of the case.

E is a bellows comprising the usual storebellows 0L and the feeder orpumping bellows b. Thelatter is connected by a suitable strap orflexible connection E,passing over a sheave G, with the footboard.

Above the bellows E is arranged a chest H, which contains avacuum-chamber I, connected by passages c and d with the storebellowsa'. The upper wall e of this chest forms a valve-board, which isprovided with a series of valve-cells f, formed therein, each having theoppositely-arranged ports g and 7L, respectively, communicating with thechamber I and the external atmosphere.

.T represents valves arranged within the cells f and adapted toalternatively seat to close the ports g and 7L.

K represents primary-pneu matic motors arranged in series within thechamber I and in operative relation to the stems il of the valves J.These primary pneu matics are supported upon the wall j of the chest,which is provided with a series of channels Z, respectively connectingwith the pneumatics. These channels Z connect with registering channelsmin the vertical wall of the chest, and the latter connect with channelsn, formed in a hori- Zontal board L.

M is a tracker-board arranged at the forward end of the board L andhaving its channels o respectively connecting with the channels n.

In rear of the chest H is arranged a horizontal shelf N, having securedthereto a series of vertically-arranged boards O. Each of these boards Oforms a support for a series of key-actuating pneumatic-motors I), whichare respectively connected by channels formed in the boards O, shelf N,and the rear wall of the chest H with channels p formed in thevalve-board e, which channels respectively connect with the valve-cellsf. The pneumatics P are so arranged upon the boards O that thecorresponding pneumatics in the different series are slightly out ofline with each other. This is for the purpose of arranging theirrespective feed-channels adjacent to each other in the walls of thechest and also providing a clearance for the connections between the pneumatics and the keyactuating levers Q. The latter, as shown, are in theform of bell-cranks, which are pivotally secured to the bar S, extendinglongitudinally of the casing above the board L. Thedownwaidly-projecting armsof the bellcrank are connected byhorizontally-extending links T with the respective pneumatics, while theforwardly-extending arms of said bell-cranks are adapted to extend overthe keyboard of the musical instrument.

In order to permit of arranging the key-ac tuating levers Q above thekeyboard of the instrument, the4 case B is provided with a hinged rearsection B above the pneu matics I and links T` and this section whenfolded outward will leave a space for receiving the keyboard of theinstrument. Thus in arranging the playing attachment in proper relationto the piano it may be moved inward until the lower part of the casecontaining the pneumatic-action is arranged beneath the keyboard of thepiano and the key-actuating levers Q extend above the keys, as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. l.

As the keyboards of different makes of pianos and other musicalinstruments vary in height, it is necessary to provide means foradjusting,` the elevation of the key-actuating levers Q so that innormal position they will just clear the keys. This might beaecomplished by raising orlowering the entire case and mechanismcontained therein above the floor-supports; but such an adjustment wouldalso change the position of the footboards C, which is objectionable. Toovercome this objection, I have provided means for raising or loweringthe key-actuating levers in relation to the base A, upon which thefootboards are mounted, thus leaving the latter always in the samerelation to the floor. As shown, this adjustment is effected byproviding uprights R at opposite ends of the case and preferably securedto the board L. These uprights form ways in which the opposite ends ofthe bar S are slidingly secured, preferably, by forming grooves r in theuprights and tenons q at the ends of the barengaging with said grooves.The uprights are preferably braced by a connecting-bar R', and the bar Sis raised or lowered by means of screws U, engaging with threadedapertures at the opposite ends of the bar S and swiveled in the bar R'.To prevent longitudinal movement of the screws U in their bearings inthe bar R', a flange s is secured to said bar and is arranged to engagewith the groove t, formed in the screw.

With the arrangement as above described it will be observed that theelevation of the bar S may be changed by adjusting the screws U and thatthis adjustment will not interfere with the actuating connection betweenthe key-actuating levers and the pneumatics P. This is for the reasonthat the links T are arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular tothe planes of the pneumatics and the actuating-arms of the key-levers.Thus the raising or lowering of the latter would only slightly changethe angle of said links without materially affecting the distancebetween the key-actuating levers and the pneumatics.

The instrument is provided with suitable mechanism for driving themusic-sheet and drawing the same across the tracker-board. Thismechanism is indicated diagrammatically at V in the forward portion ofthe case, which is provided with a hinged lid ll2 for vec, er?

obtaining access to the mechanism. The driving-motor is also indicateddiagrammatically and is arranged in rear of the store-bellows c at YV,being connected with the mechanism at V by a suitable chain or belt,such as X, (indicated in dotted lines.)

ln the operation ofthe device after the keyactuating levers have beenadjusted to the keyboard of the instrument in the manner beforedescribed and the music-sheet placed in position the operation of thefootboard C will exhaust the air from the bellows a, therebyestablishing a partial vacuum in the chamber l. The music-sheet is thenset in motion by means ef the motor lV and connection X. Thus wheneverone of the channels in the tracker-board is uncovered the air will passthrough the channels o, n, m, and Z to the corresponding primarypneumatic within the chamber l. This will be expanded and will therebyraise the stem r'. of the corresponding valve J, so as to close the port7L and open the port g. This will establish communication between thevacuum-chamber and the keyactuating pneumatic corresponding to the primary pneumatic operated, causing the former to collapse and through theconnecting link T to actuate the bell-crank lever Q. Vtfhen the channelin the tracker-board is again covered, a small port or bleed in theprimary pneumatic will permit the air-pressure within and without saidpneumatic to equalize, thereby causing it to collapse and returning` thevalve J to its normal position. This in turn will allow thekey-actuating pneumatic to expand and the bell-crank key-actuating leverto return to its normal position.

What I claim as my invention isl. n a self-playing attachment formusical instruments, the combination of a base and wind-j )umpingdevices mounted thereon, of an action above said base, a series ofkey-actuating levers, and a common means for adjustin g said levers todifferent horizontal planes for pianos of any height within the range ofthe adjustment thereof, and maintaining at all points of adjustmenttheir operative connection to the action.

2. In a self-playing attachment for musical instruments the combinationof a base and wind-pumping devices mounted thereon, oi' apneumatic-action above said base, the series of key-actuating levers orstrikers, a bar to which said levers are fulcrumed, a common means forvertically adj listing said bar to any height above the base within therango of adjustability, while maintaining the strikers in operatingposition and in operative connection with the action.

3. In a self-playing attachment for musical instruments the combinationof a base, windpumping pedals mounted thcreon, a casing extending upwardfrom said base, a pneumatic-action inclosed therein, a series ofkeyactuating strikers in operative relation to saidv action, and acommon means :for adjusting IOO IIO

i5 action therein and wind-pumping devices, of l i a series oflieynctuating,` levers, a common fulcrum-bar 'upon which said levers aresnpported and means `for adjusting said fulcrumbar and thereby thelevers to any height within the range of the adjustability thereof, anda connection between the levers and the operating devices of the actionwhich is maintained. at all peints of adjustment.

In testimony whereof I aflx my signature in presence ot' tivo witnesses.

JQSEPH COURVILLE.

vi/itnessesz M. B. ODoennn'rr,

C. SMITH:

